Sticky Grilled Chicken with Savory and Sweet Marinade Recipe
Sticky Grilled Chicken offers a perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors, with a country-style marinade that caramelizes beautifully on the grill. This finger-licking good recipe is sure to be a hit with both kids and adults. Using boneless skinless chicken thighs ensures tender, juicy meat with a deliciously sticky glaze that enhances every bite. Ideal for BBQs and casual gatherings, it’s easy to prepare with an overnight marinade for maximum flavor.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 day 20 minutes
- Yield: 4-5 servings
- Category: Mains
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Western
Ingredients
Chicken
- 700g / 1.4lb chicken thighs, skinless boneless
Marinade / Glaze
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup soy sauce (all purpose or light, NOT dark)
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
Instructions
- Prepare the Marinade: In a large bowl, mix together ketchup, brown sugar, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, and minced garlic until fully combined.
- Reserve Glaze: Scoop out 1/2 cup of the marinade mixture and set it aside for basting during grilling.
- Marinate the Chicken: Add the chicken thighs to the marinade in the bowl, turning them to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate to marinate overnight for best flavor (minimum 3 hours, up to 48 hours). Chicken can also be frozen in marinade for later use.
- Preheat and Prepare Grill: Brush BBQ grill grates with vegetable or canola oil to prevent sticking, then preheat the grill to medium heat.
- Grill the Chicken: Remove chicken from marinade, allowing excess marinade to drip off. Place chicken on the grill and cook for about 4 minutes until caramelized and nicely browned.
- Flip and Glaze: Turn the chicken over, brush generously with the reserved glaze, cook for another 4 minutes. Flip the chicken again, brush with more glaze, then flip once more and brush with additional glaze to build up the sticky coating.
- Rest the Chicken: Remove the chicken from the grill and transfer it to a plate. Cover loosely with foil and let rest for 3 minutes to allow juices to redistribute.
- Serve: Optionally sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving. Serve alongside your favorite sides like macaroni salad for a complete meal.
Notes
- Chicken Choice: Boneless skinless thighs are preferred for caramelizing perfectly within the cook time. Bone-in pieces take longer, causing the marinade to darken excessively. Chicken breast can also be used if pounded to even thickness; cook about 3 minutes per side and baste heavily.
- Marinade Variations: Use Aussie tomato sauce, BBQ sauce, or similar sauces in place of ketchup. Brown sugar can be swapped with white sugar or 2 tbsp honey/maple syrup. Soy sauce should be light or all-purpose; avoid dark soy as it is too intense. Apple cider vinegar can be replaced with any mild vinegar like white wine or rice vinegar. Adjust Worcestershire sauce with black pepper and additional seasonings for flavor variations.
- Add-Ins: Hot sauce, herbs like oregano or thyme, cayenne pepper, paprika, cumin, or coriander can be added to customize flavor profile.
- Cooking Method Substitutions: For stovetop, cook chicken in a non-stick pan over medium-high with 1 tbsp oil in batches. For oven, use the ‘Sticky Baked Chicken’ variation referenced.
- Nutrition Note: Nutritional info accounts for roughly half the marinade being discarded before cooking.